Airports: Heathrow

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans have they have to improve access from the south to Heathrow and to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions arising from surface access in that direction, following the formal abandonment of the Airtrack Project by BAA.

Earl Attlee: The Department for Transport will continue to work with BAA, Network Rail, High Speed Two Ltd and other stakeholders to improve rail access to Heathrow. The Government's plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the whole economy, including from the transport sector, are set out in the Government's draft Carbon Plan, published in March 2011 and available at: www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/What%20we%20do/A%20low%20carbon%20UK/1358-the-carbon-plan.pdf.

Armed Forces: Operational Allowance

Lord Morris of Manchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether British pilots flying combat missions over Libya will be receiving the pay bonus for dangerous duties given to their colleagues in other deployments; and, if not, why not.

Lord Astor of Hever: Air patrols carried out in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 are being conducted from airfields remote from mainland Libya.
	The aim of the operational allowance is to recognise the significantly increased and enduring nature of the danger in specified operational locations. Libya is not considered as such, but we keep this under constant review. Service personnel involved in operations over Libya may however be eligible to receive other allowances such as longer separation allowance, and possibly local overseas allowance and messing allowances dependent on their precise circumstances.

Armed Forces: Operational Allowance

Lord Craig of Radley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the operational allowances now being paid to Armed Forces personnel in Afghanistan, which the Prime Minister announced in June 2010 were to be doubled, are to be paid to Armed Forces personnel taking part in operations in Libya.

Lord Astor of Hever: Air patrols carried out in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 are being conducted from airfields remote from mainland Libya.
	The aim of the operational allowance is to recognise the significantly increased and enduring nature of the danger in specified operational locations. Libya is not considered as such, but we keep this under constant review. Service personnel involved in operations over Libya may however be eligible to receive other allowances such as longer separation allowance, and possibly local overseas allowance and messing allowances dependent on their precise circumstances.

Aviation: Air Quality

The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Attlee on 21 December 2010 (WA 271), when they intend to publish the report on cabin air quality research conducted by Cranfield University.

Earl Attlee: The Cranfield University report into aircraft cabin air was published on 10 May 2011. I would also refer the noble Lady to the Written Ministerial Statement on that day (Official Report, cols. WS 37-8).

Aviation: Landing Fees

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Attlee on 4 April (WA 320), whether landing fee charges at London airports require approval by the Civil Aviation Authority.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with the Civil Aviation Authority with regard to landing charges at London airports.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they have issued to the Civil Aviation Authority regarding the implication of increases in landing charges at London airports.

Earl Attlee: Her Majesty's Government have not issued guidance to nor had any recent discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) with regard to landing charges at London airports.
	Airport charges at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted are capped and regulated by the CAA. The level and structure of the charges within the regulated cap are a matter for the relevant airport operator and do not require further approval by the CAA.
	Other UK airports, including Luton and London City, are not subject to charges caps or approvals. However, the CAA has powers to consider cases brought by airport users alleging possible undue discrimination through changes to airport charges. The conduct of airport operators is also subject to general competition laws.

Aviation: Mobile Phones

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the use of mobile phones is banned in aircraft in British airspace.

Earl Attlee: Under Council Regulation 3922/91, EU airlines are required to ensure that passengers do not use any portable electronic devices, including personal mobile phones, that could adversely affect the performance of the aeroplane's systems and equipment. Airlines from third countries are governed by the requirements of their home state.
	Mobile phones which have been installed on an aeroplane and certified in accordance with the appropriate airworthiness requirements may be used in UK airspace.

Bahrain

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received reports of torture being used by members of Saudi forces presently in Bahrain.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We have seen no evidence that Gulf Co-operation Council forces have done anything other than safeguard installations in Bahrain. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) and the Saudi Foreign Minister met in London on 22 March 2011 and had a constructive discussion on Bahrain. The Foreign Secretary and Prince Saud agreed that the Gulf Co-operation Council forces, who are in Bahrain at the legitimate invitation of the Bahraini Government, should work to create the right conditions for a successful dialogue.

Bahrain

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received reports that Bahraini citizens under arrest have been transferred to Saudi Arabia.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We have seen no evidence that Bahraini citizens under arrest have been transferred to Saudi Arabia.

Banking: Northern Rock

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Mr Mark Hoban, on 28 April (Official Report, Commons, col. 516W) on the cost to the public purse of taking Northern Rock into public ownership, why the answer refers to RBS and Lloyds Banking Group.

Lord Sassoon: In his answer of 28 April, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury quoted the Office of Budget Responsibility's (OBR) latest estimate of the eventual benefit to the taxpayer of all the banking sector interventions, amounting to £3.4 billion. It was, therefore, appropriate to include in the answer the basis on which the OBR had made the estimate with respect to the Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group.

Buses: Bus Service Monitors

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government for what reason qualified bus service monitors were withdrawn; whether an impact assessment, or any other analytical work, was undertaken prior to the removal of qualified bus service monitors; what were the results of this work; and whether industry, users, and traffic commissioners were consulted on (a) the decision to remove the bus service monitors, and (b) the results of any work undertaken.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how the loss of qualified bus service monitors and the transfer of their responsibilities to traffic examiners will improve the reliability of local bus services; how much of the traffic examiners' time will be diverted from other enforcement duties to monitor local bus services; what will be the impact on total time spent on compliance activities; and what is the expected impact on the effectiveness of compliance activities.

Earl Attlee: The Department for Transport's approach to improving bus punctuality is based on effective local partnerships. Working with local authority and operator representatives, the Senior Traffic Commissioner, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) and Passenger Focus, the Department for Transport (DfT) developed and agreed a new approach to bus punctuality, including its enforcement, based on the development of punctuality partnerships.
	DfT asked VOSA to consider how the bus punctuality work it undertakes could be changed to support the new approach. Rather than a small team focusing on the road-side monitoring of services to prepare for possible sanctions against operators in response to complaints, VOSA will take a more proactive role working with both operators and local authorities to facilitate improvements. VOSA has determined that the most effective and efficient way to deliver this within the resources available is through frontline traffic examiner work. This will form around 25 per cent of an examiner's workload, with between 80 to 100 examiners trained (around 4 to 5 per VOSA enforcement office) giving a much greater physical presence on the ground.
	The traffic examiners will be fully trained in this new area of work and will bring their broader investigative skills to the function. VOSA has ensured that sufficient resource is available so that other examiner activities around the country are not impacted by this change. The new system will be introduced gradually from June 2011 with full roll out by end of 2011-12. During this period there will be some joint running with the existing Bus Compliance team until the transition is completed.
	With VOSA having a more proactive approach it is envisaged that passengers should see swifter improvements to services following the identification of problems. However, the traffic commissioners will continue to decide whether an operator and/or local authority should be brought before a public inquiry when there is evidence of poor levels of punctuality performance.
	The Passenger Transport Executive Group and the senior traffic commissioner have already signalled their support for the new approach and traffic commissioners, local government, the bus industry and passenger groups have been informed.

Channel Tunnel

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the amount and duration of any fixed charges paid by them in respect of services by different passenger and freight operators through the Channel Tunnel.

Earl Attlee: The British Railways Board (BRB) is liable under the terms of the Railways Usage Contract (RUC) with Eurotunnel for Eurotunnel's infrastructure (Opex) charges.
	This contract, defining the arrangements for the operation of passenger and rail freight services through the Channel Tunnel runs to 2052.
	Opex charges in respect of passenger services running under the terms of the RUC are now the responsibility of Eurostar under supplementary agreements that were implemented to enable the privatisation of BRB's international businesses.
	UK Government (standing behind BRB) paid £8,278,233 in respect of the freight charges of Opex in the financial year 2010-11.

Climate Change

Lord Jay of Ewelme: To ask Her Majesty's Government what account they will take of the advice of the independent Committee on Climate Change when proposing legislation on the United Kingdom's fourth carbon budget.

Lord Marland: Under the Climate Change Act 2008, the Government are required to take into account the advice of the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) when deciding on the level of the fourth carbon budget. In addition, the Government are also required to take into account other matters, including any representations from the devolved Administrations, fiscal and economic circumstances, energy policy, climate change science and circumstances at international and European level. If the Government decide to set the carbon budget at a different level from that recommended by the CCC, the Government must publish a statement setting out the reasons for that decision.

Crime: Motoring Convictions

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many motorists were disqualified from driving for speeding offences in each year since 1996 for which figures are available.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many motorists were disqualified for drink-driving offences in each year since 1996 for which figures are available.

Lord McNally: The number persons disqualified from driving as a result of convictions for drink-driving, or speeding offences in England and Wales for the years 1996 to 2009 (latest available) can be viewed in the table.
	Data for 2010 are planned for publication on 26 May 2011.
	Information for Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the Scottish Executive and Northern Ireland Office respectively.
	
		
			 The number of persons issued with a disqualification imposed at all courts in England and Wales, for selected motoring offences, for the years 1996 to 2009(1)(2)(3)(4) 
			 Offence type 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
			 Driving etc, after consuming alcohol or taking drugs: 81,508 85,740 79,330 75,974 73,714 73,011 78,280 
			 Speed limit offences: 9,332 9,860 13,936 11,794 11,028 10,830 9,324 
			 Total 90,840 95,600 93,266 87,768 84,742 83,841 87,604 
			 Offence type 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 
			 Driving etc, after consuming alcohol or taking drugs: 79,827 83,253 80,156 80,936 78,199 70,000 67,006 
			 Speed limit offences: 10,327 10,044 10,341 9,290 8,152 6,676 6,335 
			 Total 90,154 93,297 90,497 90,226 86,351 76,676 73,341 
		
	
	(1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	(2) It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings, in particular those relating to summary motoring offences, may be less than complete.
	(3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are use.
	(4) Excludes Convictions for Cardiff magistrates' court for April, July and August 2008
	Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice.
	Ref: PQ HL9060 & HL9061 (Table)

Crime: Speeding

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many drivers have been convicted of getting other people to take their penalty points for speeding in each year since 2000.

Lord McNally: I have been asked to reply.
	Data collated centrally by the Ministry of Justice holds information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales, but not specific information on offences beyond descriptions provided in the statutes under which prosecutions are brought. It is not possible to identify from data held on proceedings brought against persons for perverting the course of justice, those resulting from getting other people to take their penalty points for speeding.
	Information for Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the Scottish Executive and Northern Ireland Office respectively.

Cyprus: British High Commission

Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many full-time, part-time and temporary staff are employed within the British High Commission in Nicosia; what are the national affiliations of staff; and what are the means whereby any planned balance is maintained between the numbers of Greek and Turkish Cypriots employed.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Our High Commission in Nicosia currently employs approximately 65 staff. This includes UK-based civil servants and staff employed locally. For operational and security reasons we cannot provide a more detailed breakdown. No record of national affiliations is maintained, each job being filled according to the competences and skills required for the particular job.

Cyprus: British High Commission

Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a recently appointed vice-consul at the British High Commission in Nicosia is, or has recently been, employed by a company delivering services directly to the Cypriot Government; and, if so, what potential conflict of interests were considered before making the appointment.

Lord Howell of Guildford: No appointment of a vice-consul has been made in the past 18 months. One appointment is pending dependant on checks which are still being carried out. All appointments take into consideration any potential conflicts of interest and all staff are obliged under their terms and conditions of employment to declare any outside commercial interests.

Death Penalty

Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the welcome given by the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary to the assassination of Osama Bin Laden, whether they will define their policy towards the use of both extra-judicial killing of suspected terrorists and capital punishment of those convicted.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The UK acts and expects other states to act in accordance with international law.
	It has been the longstanding policy of the UK Government to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances, including terrorism, as a matter of principle because we believe it undermines human dignity; there is no conclusive evidence of its deterrent value; and any miscarriage of justice leading to its imposition is irreversible and irreparable.

Detention: Sex

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many British citizens have been detained abroad for consensual same-sex sexual conduct in the past five years.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We do not collate statistics on British nationals detained abroad for consensual same-sex conduct. To determine these figures would incur disproportionate costs. Our travel advice contains information on local laws which, where relevant, includes information for same sex couples. Consular assistance is available to those detained, as set out in our publication Support for British nationals abroad: A guide.

Devolved Administrations: Block Grant Settlements

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much was the last block grant credited to each of the devolved institutions at (a) Cardiff, (b) Stormont, and (c) Holyrood, for which figures are available.

Lord Sassoon: The baseline block grants for 2010-11 and the planned expenditure to be credited to the devolved Administrations, as determined in the 2010 spending review, are as follows:
	
		
			 £ billions  
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 
			 Scotland 
			 Resource DEL 24.8 24.8 25.1 25.3 25.4 
			 Capital DEL 3.4 2.5 2.5 2.2 2.3 
			 Total DEL 28.2 27.3 27.6 27.5 27.7 
			 Wales 
			 Resource DEL 13.3 13.3 13.3 13.5 13.5 
			 Capital DEL 1.7 1.3 1.2 1.1 1.1 
			 Total DEL 15.0 14.5 14.5 14.5 14.6 
			 Northern Ireland 
			 Resource DEL 9.3 9.4 9.4 9.5 9.5 
			 Capital DEL 1.2 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.8 
			 Total DEL 10.5 10.3 10.3 10.3 10.3 
		
	
	Note: Financial Year 2010-11 is baseline year.
	Source: Spending Review 2010 Whitepaper (Cm7942), table 2.22

Education: Careers Advice

Lord Teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will retain quality face-to-face careers advice for all young people who require it.

Lord Hill of Oareford: Subject to the passage of the Education Bill through Parliament, schools will, from September 2012, be under a duty to secure access to independent and impartial careers guidance for their pupils in years 9 to 11. Schools will be free to make arrangements for careers guidance for young people that fit the needs and circumstances of their students, including determining the appropriate balance between web-based, telephone and face-to-face support.

Embryology

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Earl Howe on 6 May (Official Report, col. 699-701), whether they will publish the efficiency proposals of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and the Human Tissue Authority prior to the proposed consultation on transfer of functions.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Earl Howe on 6 May (Official Report, col. 699-701), whether they will invite proposals from interested parties to help inform the consultation process prior to the formal consultation to transfer functions of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and the Human Tissue Authority.

Earl Howe: The proposed consultation later this year as to where the functions of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and the Human Tissue Authority are best transferred will include an impact assessment. The impact assessment will take account of efficiency measures proposed by the two bodies.
	The department has been in discussion with key stakeholders since the publication of its review of its arm's-length bodies in July 2010. Stakeholders will also be able to take part in the planned consultation exercise on the transfer of functions.

Employment: Websites

Lord Teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will replace the Jobs4U website with an alternative of equal quality.

Lord Hill of Oareford: There are no plans to replace the Jobs4u careers database. An established alternative already exists within the Next Step website which has information on a wide range of careers.

Energy: Emissions

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the comments in the Olympic Delivery Authority's Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Olympic Transport Plan that the daily limits for particulate emission PM10 would be breached during the Olympic Games, what action they are taking to avoid fines of up to £175 million by the International Olympic Committee.

Earl Attlee: The Government are committed to working towards EU air quality standards. While it is for the Mayor of London to decide what local transport policies are appropriate in London, the Department for Transport has recently made an extra £5 million available to help tackle some of London's worst pollution hotspots.
	Our ambition is for a public transport Games with 100 per cent of spectators travelling to London venues by public transport, cycling or on foot (with a very limited exception for disabled spectators some of whom may be able to use available Blue Badge parking). To help achieve this, ticketed spectators for London events will receive a Games travelcard for London's public transport system on that day. There will be no private car parking for spectators at any venue, except for some Blue Badge parking.
	Transport for London are already working hard with businesses to consider different ways of working and travelling, including home and flexible working, travelling at different times or walking and cycling more. These and other measures should help reduce traffic levels and vehicle emissions, minimising the risk of exceeding air quality levels across London. Further modelling work is taking place to determine whether additional measures are required.
	Safe and healthy competition conditions for athletes are a top priority for everyone involved. As with any Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) looks to the Government, the Mayor of London, the Olympic Delivery Authority, other public authorities and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) to work in partnership to ensure this is the case at London 2012.

Extradition: Gary McKinnon

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 23 March (Official Report, col. 729-731), when was the most recent communication between the Home Office and the Government of the United States directly concerning Gary McKinnon; and what consideration they have given to the impact which the timescale of this case is having on the psychological wellbeing of a vulnerable individual.

Baroness Browning: Home Office officials are in regular contact with their counterparts in the United States Department of Justice about extradition cases, including the case of Gary McKinnon; the most recent contact on that case was on 4 May. There are a number of reasons why it is important to bring the case to a conclusion as soon as possible, and the Home Office is making strenuous efforts to obtain independent medical evidence in order to assist in the making of a final decision in the case.

Extradition: Gary McKinnon

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 23 March (Official Report, col. 729-731), what are the criteria for deciding whether a court process, as in the Gary McKinnon case, has run out of time; and whether in the case of Mr McKinnon this is exclusively a UK legal decision or dependent on concurrence from the United States.

Baroness Browning: Home Office officials are in regular contact with their counterparts in the United States Department of Justice about extradition cases, including the case of Gary McKinnon; the most recent contact on that case was on 4 May. There are a number of reasons why it is important to bring the case to a conclusion as soon as possible, and the Home Office is making strenuous efforts to obtain independent medical evidence in order to assist in the making of a final decision in the case.

Fluoridation

Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 26 April (WA 47-8), whether the National Fluoride Information Centre will amend the wording in the Is it safe? section of its website to make clear that the figure of 3 per cent for fluorosis of aesthetic concern, in contrast to the other figures quoted, was not a finding by the York systematic review.

Earl Howe: The National Fluoride Information Centre was hosted by Manchester University Dental School. With the cessation of funding, the school may archive the website or take it over. Either way we will ask that the amendment is made beforehand.

Fluoridation

Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have ceased to fund the National Fluoride Information Centre.

Earl Howe: We have sought to reduce central funding to a minimum in order that priorities on use of the limited funds available to the National Health Service may be determined locally. Information on the effects of fluorides continues to be available from university dental schools, professional bodies in dentistry and other relevant research and healthcare support organisations.

Government: Ministerial Meetings

Lord Harris of Haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what meetings have been held by Home Office Ministers with (a) the Mayor of London or the chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority, and (b) the Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, since May 2010.

Baroness Browning: Since May 2010 Home Office Ministers have met regularly with (a) the Mayor of London or the chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority, and (b) the Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, to discuss policing matters and policing in London.

Government: Red Tape Challenge

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government who will be involved in processing the results of the Red Tape Challenge on equality legislation; and what are the potential consequences for future Government policy on equality legislation.

Baroness Verma: The Government remain strongly committed to equality and implemented the majority of the Equality Act 2010 last October and in April. The Red Tape Challenge aims to take a comprehensive approach, looking widely at regulation, whether introduced through primary or secondary legislation or other means. It seeks views on where regulation is working well, as well as where it is imposing unnecessary burdens on businesses, members of the public or voluntary organisations or restricting personal freedoms. The results of the Red Tape Challenge on equality legislation will be processed initially by officials of the Government Equalities Office with any outcomes put to Ministers for consideration. Any proposals for change to existing legislation would need to go through the normal procedures.

Health: Hepatitis C

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there are any measures in the Health and Social Care Bill which will encourage general practitioners to make early diagnosis of hepatitis C; and, if so, what they are.

Earl Howe: There are no specific provisions in the Health and Social Care Bill about hepatitis C diagnosis by general practitioners. However, one of the key aims of the Bill is to enable local health services to meet the needs of local populations more effectively, including in relation to the diagnosis of infectious diseases such as hepatitis C.
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is currently developing public health guidance for the National Health Service and healthcare professionals on ways to promote and offer testing for hepatitis B and C to individuals at risk of infection.

Health: Hepatitis C

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to expand the screening of prisoners for hepatitis C.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the costs per prisoner of screening for hepatitis C.

Earl Howe: Testing for hepatitis C and other blood-borne viruses (BBVs) among prisoners has increased significantly since 2006 when the National Health Service began commissioning health services in public prisons. It is for local prison healthcare partnership boards to decide the level of investment in screening for BBVs based on their local needs assessments.
	Prisoners and prison staff have been provided with greater information concerning risk factors for BBVs including hepatitis C since 2006, using diverse resources including DVDs, posters and leaflets designed to be accessible to the prison population and developed in partnership with partners including the British Liver Trust (BLT) and the Health Protection Agency.
	NHS commissioners have also provided increased access to testing for hepatitis C and other BBVs in prisons through provision of primary care and sexual health services. The department anticipates that levels of testing for hepatitis C and other BBVs among prisoners will continue to grow. The department's Offender Health team aims to continue health promotion campaigns to support increased awareness and health-seeking behaviour. Offender Health is also working with third sector organisations like the National AIDS Trust and the BLT to develop resources to guide prisoners, prison staff and healthcare providers and commissioners.
	NHS acute trusts' laboratories and regional and national reference laboratories charge standard tariffs for testing of samples for hepatitis C and other BBVs. NHS commissioners have provided appropriate services in public prisons to ensure that prisoners can be tested for BBVs if they choose to do so. Costs for such tests are as per standard tariffs. The department does not have specific information on the expenditure by NHS organisations on the testing of prisoners specifically for hepatitis C. Such costs would be included in the costs for provision of testing to the wider community and not disaggregated based on whether a person is a prisoner at the time of testing.

Heritage Lottery Fund

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the £317,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to secure the future of the hen harrier as a breeding bird in England is in accordance with HM Treasury priorities for use of public funds.

Baroness Garden of Frognal: Decisions on individual Lottery grants are for distributors such as Heritage Lottery Fund to make, acting independently of government, but following financial and policy directions issued by the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport. These directions are published on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's website at www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/national_lottery/4202.aspx.

Heritage Lottery Fund

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will require the Heritage Lottery Fund to have regard to the financial circumstances of those individuals, organisations or charities to which they make grants.

Baroness Garden of Frognal: Heritage Lottery Fund is already required to comply with financial directions and take into account policy directions issued to it by the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport. These directions are published on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's website at www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/national_lottery/4202.aspx.

House of Lords: Heads of State Visits

Lord Berkeley: To ask the Chairman of Committees why guests of peers will not be allowed into the House of Lords on the day of the visit of the President of the United States; when such a ban was last used; why it was not used for visits by other Heads of State such as President Sarkozy; and whether this ban indicates that the present security arrangements at other times are inadequate.
	To ask the Chairman of Committees whether the President of the United States insisted as a condition of his visit on the proposed ban on peers' guests entering the building on the day of his visit.

Lord Brabazon of Tara: It is established policy not to comment on specific matters of security on the Parliamentary Estate. Responsibility for security decisions lies with Black Rod and the Serjeant at Arms.

Insurance: Payment Protection Insurance

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action are they proposing to take as a consequence of the mis-selling of payment protection insurance.

Lord Sassoon: The Government are pleased that both the British Bankers' Association and a number of individual banks have decided against appealing the recent judicial review judgment on payment protection insurance (PPI). This will allow consumers to secure redress swiftly and will avoid protracted legal proceedings.
	The Government support the work that the Financial Services Authority, the Competition Commission, the Financial Ombudsman Service and the Office of Fair Trading are undertaking to recompense customers who have been mis-sold PPI policies; and to prevent such cases of mis-selling in the future. We will continue to encourage them to combat consumer detriment in all of its forms.
	As a result of regulatory action, industry will no longer be able to sell single premium PPI alongside unsecured loans. Firms representing a significant proportion of the market have agreed to review sales and redress consumers identified as mis-sold. In addition, sales, marketing materials and contract terms for PPI have all been improved.
	The Competition Commission has also recently confirmed its proposed point-of-sale prohibition, intended to give more time to consumers to consider their need for the product and to shop around for best value.

Iraq: Camp Ashraf

Lord Carlile of Berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to the Government of Iraq to enable the residents of Camp Ashraf to bury the casualties of the action by the Iraqi security forces at Camp Ashraf on 8 April.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The UK understands that the bodies of those killed during the events of 8 April at Camp Ashraf have been returned to the camp, but that the question of where they are buried remains unresolved. We encourage a constructive dialogue between the Iraqi Government and the camp leadership to ensure that those who were killed are buried with due dignity.
	We will continue to impress on the Iraqi authorities at the highest level that they should prevent the situation at Camp Ashraf from deteriorating further and to respect the human rights of camp residents.

Iraq: Camp Ashraf

Lord Carlile of Berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to secure the protection of the residents of Camp Ashraf from violence following the events there on 8 April.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Along with international partners, including the UN, US and EU, the UK has urged the Government of Iraq to ensure the situation does not deteriorate further and that the Iraqi authorities respect the human rights of camp residents. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my honourable friend the member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), issued a statement on 8 April, condemning the loss of life and urging the Iraqi Government to cease violent operations at the camp. We accept that Camp Ashraf is an issue for the sovereign state of Iraq to resolve and we continue to urge that they do so in accordance with international and domestic laws.

Isles of Scilly: Sea Link

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the current and future restrictions on the operation of the Scillonian ferry between Penzance and St Mary's; and whether, following their rejection of the proposed replacement for this ship, they will request a relaxation of such restrictions pending the provision of a replacement vessel.

Earl Attlee: The Scillonian III is currently operating under an EU B Certificate Restricted to Class III limitations. This permits sailing during daylight hours in favourable weather during the period from 1 April to 31 October with a limit of 600 people on board. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is currently discussing the future provision of this service with the operators, to assess whether a certificate with fewer restrictions may be issued. In addition, we understand that the acquisition of an alternative vessel is being considered by the operators of the service.

Israel

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Israel regarding the continued detention of Ameer Makhoul.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Following Makhoul's arrest, he made a 27 October 2010 confession to spying charges including: contacting a foreign agent, conspiring to assisting an enemy in a time of war, and aggravated espionage for Hezbollah, all as part of a plea bargain. Haifa District Court sentenced Makhoul in January 2011 to nine years in prison and another year suspended sentence for these charges.
	We continue to urge Israel to ensure that due legal process is followed and that they preserve the rights of detainees in all circumstances, and last did so via our ambassador to Tel Aviv on 27 March 2011 to Israel's attorney-general and Israel's president of its Supreme Court.

NHS: Finance

Lord Mawhinney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the relationships, if any, between National Health Service trusts', including foundation trusts', excess expenditure over approved revenue resource and delays in (a) patient waiting times, and (b) commencement of treatment times.

Earl Howe: Comparing the 2010-11 performance framework finance results and referral to treatment waiting times, there is no evidence of a direct relationship between excess expenditure over approved revenue resource and waiting or treatment times in National Health Service acute trusts. However, there were a small number of NHS acute trusts that did not achieve the expected level of finance and monthly referral to treatment performance.
	The responsibility for overseeing the performance of NHS foundation trusts is the responsibility of Monitor (the statutory name of which is the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts). We are informed by the chairperson that there is no equivalent concept to excess expenditure over approved revenue resource for foundation trusts but that an analysis of the most recent performance against cancer and accident and emergency waiting times shows no correlation between financial risk ratings for foundation trusts and underperformance.

NHS: Private Care

Baroness Cumberlege: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to review the NHS Guidance on patients who wish to pay for additional private care.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the conclusions of Professor Sir Mike Richards' 2008 report Improving access to medicines for NHS patients, in particular on the separation of NHS care and additional privately funded care for surgery.

Earl Howe: This Government support the approach recommended by Professor Sir Mike Richards' report, and have no plans to review the existing guidance. This includes the principle that privately funded and National Health Service funded care should be kept as clearly separate as possible, to ensure that NHS funding is not used to subsidise private care and that NHS patients are not charged for their treatment, which would breach NHS principles and legislation.

NHS: Value

Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria are used to assess value in the National Health Service.

Earl Howe: There are a number of different ways in which value in the National Health Service can be assessed and the most appropriate measure or set of measures will vary depending on the context and purpose with which an assessment is being made.
	The department's business plan, published in November 2010, sets out key indicators which help the public in understanding the costs and outcomes of health and social care services.
	NHS productivity is measured by both the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the University of York under a research contract with the department. These measures compare the quantity of outputs produced for the amount of inputs used. There are limitations, however, to how much any single measure of productivity can fully capture the quality and value of health care services to patients.
	The Government are committed to patient-centred measures of the value of health care and are rolling out patient-reported outcomes measures, which provide measures of the health gain of surgical treatments from a patient perspective, using pre and post operative questionnaires. In addition, the Care Quality Commission co-ordinates a variety of patient surveys to collect feedback on the experiences of people using a range of NHS services.
	Quality-adjusted life years and similar measures of the health benefits provided by specific treatments are used, including by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, to assess the cost-effectiveness of different treatments. These measures enable the health impacts of different treatments to be compared on a consistent basis. When combined with information about the prices of different treatments, these techniques can be used to guide decisions on how to maximise health benefits from the available resources.

Olympic Games 2012: Air Quality

Lord Pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their plan of action to ensure that air quality is at a safe level for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Lord Henley: The Government are committed to working towards the European Union's air quality standards. We expect to achieve health-based limits for particulate matter in 2011 and in September we will submit to the European Commission our plans to achieve limits for nitrogen dioxide.
	We are working closely with the Mayor of London to improve air quality in London, including plans for reducing pollution across London in respect of the Olympic Games. The Government have recently made an extra £5 million available to help the mayor tackle some of London's worst pollution hotspots. During the Olympic Games our ambition is that all spectators should travel to London venues by public transport, cycling or on foot. These and other measures will help to improve air quality in London during the Games.

Overseas Aid

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of European Union official development assistance is allocated to emerging economy countries in (a) Europe, (b) Asia, (c) Africa, (d) the Middle East, (e) Latin America, and (f) elsewhere.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total amount of European Union official development assistance, and how much is allocated to emerging economy countries in (a) Europe, (b) Asia, (c) Africa, (d) the Middle East, (e) Latin America, and (f) elsewhere.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of the United Kingdom contributions to European Union official development assistance is allocated to emerging economy countries in (a) Europe, (b) Asia, (c) Africa, (d) the Middle East, (e) Latin America, and (f) elsewhere.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total amount of the United Kingdom contribution to European Union official development assistance; and how much is allocated to emerging economy countries in (a) Europe, (b) Asia, (c) Africa, (d) the Middle East, (e) Latin America, and (f) elsewhere.

Baroness Verma: The UK's financial share of the European Union development assistance programmes is approximately 15 per cent of the cost of those programmes. They are financed from a number of instruments, all of which are managed by the European Commission. These include the European Development Fund (EDF), a member states' voluntary fund for African, Caribbean and Pacific countries as well as a number of EU budget instruments such as the Development Co-operation Instrument and the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument. In 2009, the European Union's total aid disbursements were €9.8 billion (£8.7 billion). The UK's share of this was approximately €1.3 billion (£1.2 billion).
	There is no international definition for emerging economies. However, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are often brought together under the acronym BRICS. Other emerging economies, from a development perspective and as actors with a global agenda, could include Indonesia, Mexico and some Gulf countries. The EDF, the most poverty-focused of the EU's development instruments, does not support any emerging economies. The latest European Commission annual report on development assistance was produced in 2010, covering commitments and spending for 2009. The full report, which includes data on all regions, countries and sectors, is available in the Library of the House and on the European Commission website at: www.ec.europa.eu/europeaid/multimedia/publications/publications/annualreports/2010_en.htm.
	Some examples from this report: in 2009, the European Commission disbursed €13.6 million (£1.2 million) to Brazil, €110.0 million (£97.8 million) to South Africa, €32.0 million (£28.4 million) to China and €54.0 million (£48.0 million) to India. Indonesia received €81.0 million (£72.0 million) and Mexico €4.4 million (£3.9 million). We expect the 2011 report, covering 2010 data, to be finalised in mid-2011 and available together with other documents and statistics on the European Commission website.

Overseas Aid

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of European Union development assistance is allocated to millennium development goal 5, aimed at reducing maternal mortality by two thirds.

Baroness Verma: In 2009, the European Commission spent almost 40 per cent (€3.8 billion, which is approximately £3.2 billion) out of a total aid spend of €9.8 billion (approximately £8.2 billion) on social infrastructure and services, including health and population. Approximately €600 million (approximately £500 million) or some 6 per cent was spent directly on health and population, which includes reproductive health assistance, contributing to reducing maternal mortality. Other support to education, water and sanitation and other social infrastructure also contributes to MDG 5 indirectly. Further details on spending, regions and sectors can be found in the 2010 annual report on the European Union's Development and External Assistance Policies and their Implementation, which is available in the Library of the House and on the European Commission website at: www.europa.eu/europeaid/multimedialpuhlications/publications/annualreports/2010en.htrn.

Overseas Aid

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the contribution to the European Union official development assistance budget of each member state in (a) 2007, (b) 2008, (c) 2009, and (d) 2010.

Baroness Verma: The latest European Commission annual report on development assistance was produced in 2010, covering EU commitments and spending for 2009. The full report, which includes data on all regions, countries and sectors, is available in the Library of the House and on the European Commission website at: www. ec.europa.eu/europeaid/multimedialpublications/ publications/annualreports/2010_en.htm.
	Annual reports for 2007 and 2008 are also available on the European Commission website at: www.ec.europa. eu/europeaid/multimedia/publications/index_en.htm.

Overseas Aid

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will seek an increase in the level of European Union official development assistance to improve maternal health.

Baroness Verma: The European Union has committed to increase its already substantial support to maternal and child health during 2011-13. The UK encourages the EU to play a stronger role in health policy coherence and aid co-ordination and to ensure that adequate attention is given to reproductive, maternal and newborn health; the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women; and more predictable funding to the poorest countries to improve progress towards the millennium development goals.
	The Department for International Development (DfID) report Framework for Results-Choices for Women confirms that the UK will seek more efficient and effective delivery of results by multilateral agencies. One of the key agencies identified is the European Commission. Following the outcome of DfID's multilateral aid review in March 2011, the UK will support wider reforms and will work to maximise cost control, value for money, transparency and alignment with partner country priorities.

Overseas Aid

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will press the European Union to employ more health experts in developing countries to oversee and manage disbursement of European Union health official development assistance.

Baroness Verma: The UK encourages the European Union to play a stronger role in health policy coherence and aid coordination and to ensure that adequate attention is given to: reproductive, maternal and newborn health; the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women; and more predictable funding to the poorest countries to improve progress towards millennium development goals.
	The UK is supporting the continuous devolution and strengthening of EU delegations in partner countries. The European Court of Auditors' recent report (April 2011) on the Commission's devolution process demonstrates that staff strengthening at the country level has been beneficial in development areas such as health and education. The UK will also continue to support the European Commission's capacity to manage its health programmes through the provision of a health expert to the Commission. We will also encourage other EU member states to continue to second specialists to the Commission to work on priority development issues.

Pensions

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the median length and the average length of service for public sector pensions in payment; and what are the average and median annual amounts of those pensions.

Lord Sassoon: HM Treasury does not hold up-to-date data on the median or average pensions in payment, or the median or average lengths of service on which those pensions are based. However, Table 1.C of the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission's interim report, published on 7 October 2010, provides a breakdown of median and average figures for the largest public service pension schemes. The table can be found on the HM Treasury website: www.hm-treasury. gov.uk/d/hutton_pensionsinterim_071010.pdf. More detailed information may be available from departments that lead on individual public service pension schemes.

Police: Ethnic Minorities

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what change there has been since 2000 in the number of appointments of black and minority ethnic officers to the police service in England, Wales and Scotland, with particular regard to senior appointments.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many black and minority ethnic officers are currently employed in the police service in England, Wales and Scotland; and of these, how many are of Asian and African-Caribbean origin.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many black and minority officers are currently employed in the police service in England, Wales and Scotland at chief police officer level; in which forces they are located; and what is the total number of chief police officer posts in the service.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many black and minority ethnic police officers are employed at chief superintendent level in the police service in England, Wales and Scotland; and what is the total number of chief superintendent posts in the service.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many black and minority ethnic police officers are employed at superintendent level in the police service in England, Wales and Scotland; and what is the total number of superintendent posts in the service.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many black and minority ethnic police officers are employed at chief inspector level in the police service in England, Wales and Scotland; and what is the total number of chief inspector posts in the service.

Baroness Browning: The available figures for England and Wales are contained in the following tables. Latest published figures relate to 31 March 2010.
	Figures for Scotland are a matter for the devolved Administration. Police appointments figures are only available from 2002-03, not 2000 as requested in the Question. Breakdown of ethnicity into African-Caribbean origin is not available. Figures are presented for Association of Chief Police Officers rank level as separate chief police officer figures are not collected.
	
		
			 Police officer joiners in England and Wales by rank and ethnicity, 2002-03 and 2009-10, as at 31 March 1,2 
			  2002-033  2009-10  
			  Black and minority ethnic police officer joiners Police officer joiners Black and minority ethnic police officer joiners Police officer joiners 
			 ACPO rank 0 30 0 31 
			 Chief Superintendent 0 11 0 4 
			 Superintendent 0 29 1 21 
			 Chief Inspector 0 18 0 21 
			 Inspector 4 94 1 50 
			 Sergeant 9 293 7 227 
			 Constable 532 12,889 527 6,558 
			 Sum: 545 13,364 536 6,912 
		
	
	1. The number of police officer joiners includes transfers and rejoiners.
	2. This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number.
	3. Figures held from 2002-03.
	
		
			 The number of black and minority ethnic police officers in England and Wales broken down by ethnicity, as at 31 March 20101 
			  Black and minority ethnic police officers 
			 Mixed 1,844 
			 Black or Black British 1,446 
			 Asian or Asian British 2,607 
			 Other minority ethnic group 745 
			 Sum: 6,642 
		
	
	1 This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number.
	
		
			 The number of black and minority ethnic and total strength of police officers in England and Wales at ACPO rank level2 by police force area, as at 31 March 20101 
			  Black and ethnic minority police officers at ACPO rank Total strength of police officers at ACPO rank 
			 Avon & Somerset 0 6 
			 Bedfordshire 0 4 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 3 
			 Cheshire 0 4 
			 Cleveland 0 4 
			 Cumbria 0 4 
			 Derbyshire 0 4 
			 Devon & Cornwall 0 5 
			 Dorset 0 4 
			 Durham 0 3 
			 Essex 0 5 
			 Gloucestershire 0 4 
			 Greater Manchester 0 6 
			 Hampshire 0 5 
			 Hertfordshire 0 5 
			 Humberside 0 4 
			 Kent 1 7 
			 Lancashire 0 5 
			 Leicestershire 0 4 
			 Lincolnshire 0 3 
			 London, City of 0 3 
			 Merseyside 1 6 
			 Metropolitan Police 2 37 
			 Norfolk 0 5 
			 Northamptonshire 0 4 
			 Northumbria 0 5 
			 North Yorkshire 0 4 
			 Nottinghamshire 0 4 
			 South Yorkshire 1 4 
			 Staffordshire 0 4 
			 Suffolk 0 4 
			 Surrey 0 4 
			 Sussex 0 5 
			 Thames Valley 1 4 
			 Warwickshire 0 4 
			 West Mercia 0 5 
			 West Midlands 1 6 
			 West Yorkshire 1 6 
			 Wiltshire 0 4 
			 Dyfed-Powys 0 3 
			 Gwent 0 3 
			 North Wales 0 4 
			 South Wales 1 6 
			 Sum: 9 223 
		
	
	1. This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number.
	2. Separate figures not collected for chief police officers.
	
		
			 The number of black and minority ethnic and total strength of police officers in England and Wales at chief superintendent, superintendent and chief inspector rank level, as at 31 March 20101 
			  Black and minority ethnic police officers Total strength of police officers 
			 Chief Superintendent 13 473 
			 Superintendent 34 1,029 
			 Chief Inspector 63 1,974 
		
	
	1. This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

Police: Ethnic Minorities

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many black and minority ethnic police officers are employed as basic command unit commanders; and in which forces they are located.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many black and minority ethnic police officers have been trained to be in charge of large-scale public demonstrations; to which forces they belong; and at what events they have been on duty.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many black and minority ethnic police officers have been trained to senior investigator officer level; and which forces employ them.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many black and minority ethnic police officers are posted to traffic departments; and which forces employ them.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many black and minority ethnic police officers are posted to support groups dealing with public disorder.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many black and minority ethnic police officers are currently employed above the rank of Superintendent in the Counter Terrorism Commands.

Baroness Browning: The available figures for England and Wales are contained in the following tables. The tables show the number of black and ethnic minority police officers (FTE) in the functions of local commander and traffic by force in England and Wales as at 31 March 2010.
	Information is not collected centrally on the number of black and minority ethnic police officers who have been trained to be in charge of large-scale public demonstrations and the events for which they have been on duty. Information is not collected centrally on the number of black and minority ethnic police officers that have been trained to senior investigator level. Information is not collected centrally on the number of black and minority ethnic police officers who are posted to support groups dealing with public disorder. Deployments of police officers are operational matters for chief officers.
	The number of black and minority ethnic police officers who are currently employed above the rank of superintendent in the Counter Terrorism Commands is not provided as this is a restricted function. Under the Freedom of Information Act 2005, the Home Office is required to provide members of the public with these data when requested. However, under Section (31), Law Enforcement, of the Freedom of Information Act, information can be withheld where disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice (a) the prevention or (b) the detection of crime. Following consultation with ACPO, those categories that have been highlighted were deemed likely to prejudice the prevention or detection of crime and therefore have not been disclosed within the public domain.
	
		
			 Black and minority ethnic police officers in the local commanders function1 (FTE)2 in England and Wales as at 31 March 2010, by force3, 4 
			  Black and minority ethnic police officers 
			 Avon & Somerset 0 
			 Bedfordshire 0 
			 Cambridgeshire 1 
			 Cheshire 0 
			 Cleveland 0 
			 Cumbria 0 
			 Derbyshire 2 
			 Devon & Cornwall 0 
			 Dorset 1 
			 Durham 0 
			 Dyfed-Powys 0 
			 Essex 0 
			 Gloucestershire 0 
			 Greater Manchester 2 
			 Gwent 0 
			 Hampshire 1 
			 Hertfordshire 0 
			 Humberside 0 
			 Kent 0 
			 Lancashire 0 
			 Leicestershire 1 
			 Lincolnshire 0 
			 London, City of 0 
			 Merseyside 2 
			 Metropolitan Police 3 
			 Norfolk 0 
			 Northamptonshire 0 
			 Northumbria 0 
			 North Wales 0 
			 North Yorkshire 0 
			 Nottinghamshire 2 
			 South Wales 0 
			 South Yorkshire 0 
			 Staffordshire 0 
			 Suffolk 0 
			 Surrey 0 
			 Sussex  
			 Thames Valley 2 
			 Warwickshire 0 
			 West Mercia 0 
			 West Midlands 5 
			 West Yorkshire 3 
			 Wiltshire 1 
			 Sum: 26 
		
	
	1 Staff with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function. The deployment of police officers is an operational matter for individual chief constables.
	2 This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number.
	3 Under the Freedom of Information Act 2005, Home Office have to provide members of the public with this data when requested. However under Section (31), Law Enforcement, of the Freedom of Information Act, information can be withheld where disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice (a) the prevention or detection of crime. Following consultation with ACPO, those categories that have been highlighted were deemed likely to prejudice the prevention or detection of crime and therefore have not been disclosed within the public domain.
	4 Data are correct as at 5 October 2010.
	
		
			 Black and minority ethnic police officers in the traffic function1 (FTE)2 in England and Wales as at 31 March 2010, by force3, 4 
			  Black and minority ethnic police officers 
			 Avon & Somerset 2 
			 Bedfordshire 1 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 
			 Cheshire 1 
			 Cleveland 1 
			 Cumbria 0 
			 Derbyshire 2 
			 Devon & Cornwall 2 
			 Dorset 1 
			 Durham 1 
			 Dyfed-Powys 2 
			 Essex 6 
			 Gloucestershire 1 
			 Greater Manchester 5 
			 Gwent 0 
			 Hampshire 0 
			 Hertfordshire 1 
			 Humberside 2 
			 Kent 1 
			 Lancashire 2 
			 Leicestershire 2 
			 Lincolnshire 0 
			 London, City of 0 
			 Merseyside 5 
			 Metropolitan Police 20 
			 Norfolk 1 
			 Northamptonshire 5 
			 Northumbria 1 
			 North Wales 2 
			 North Yorkshire 1 
			 Nottinghamshire 1 
			 South Wales 2 
			 South Yorkshire 3 
			 Staffordshire 0 
			 Suffolk 0 
			 Surrey 1 
			 Sussex 2 
			 Thames Valley 4 
			 Warwickshire 0 
			 West Mercia 2 
			 West Midlands 10 
			 West Yorkshire 6 
			 Wiltshire 1 
			 Sum: 100 
		
	
	1 Staff with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function. The deployment of police officers is an operational matter for individual chief constables.
	2 This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number.
	3 Under the Freedom of Information Act 2005, Home Office have to provide members of the public with this data when requested. However under Section (31), Law Enforcement, of the Freedom of Information Act, information can be withheld where disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice (a) the prevention or detection of crime. Following consultation with ACPO, those categories that have been highlighted were deemed likely to prejudice the prevention or detection of crime and therefore have not been disclosed within the public domain.
	4 Data are correct as at 5 October 2010

Police: Ethnic Minorities

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many black and minority ethnic police officers are employed as staff officers working to chief police officers.

Baroness Browning: The latest available data show that there were five black and minority ethnic police officers employed as at 31 March 2010 as staff officers working to chief police officers.

Police: Ethnic Minorities

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what strategy is being deployed by the Association of Chief Police Officers and National Police Improvement Authority to increase black and minority ethnic representation at all levels in the police service in England, Wales and Scotland.

Baroness Browning: Within the scope of the current Equality Act legislation (2010), the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) encourage Home Office police forces to use positive action to support the progression of black and minority ethnic (BME) officers and staff in the police service. Initiatives will vary from force to force and may include mentoring, shadowing, temporary promotion, familiarisation days, and specific training to support candidates' future career aspirations.
	To underpin the use of positive action, the NPIA has produced a performance framework tool for the police service. The equality standard objective 15B supports forces in the work that they are undertaking on BME progression.

Police: Ethnic Minorities

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many black and minority ethnic police officers are employed in criminal investigation departments; and in which forces.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many black and minority ethnic police officers have left specialist departments such as the counter terrorism departments within the last 12 month period of monitoring leavers.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many black and minority ethnic police officers are employed in firearms units; and in which forces.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many black and minority ethnic (BME) police officers are employed at senior management team level in the 30 Borough Command Units with the highest BME population; and in which forces.

Baroness Browning: The available figures for England and Wales are contained in the following table. The table shows the number of black and ethnic minority police officers (FTE) in the functions of CID, CID-Specialist Crime Unit and Firearms/Explosives by force in England and Wales as at 31 March 2010.
	Information is not collected centrally on the number of black and minority ethnic police officers who have left specialist departments such as the counter terrorism departments. Also, information is not collected centrally on ethnicity data at basic command unit level.
	
		
			 Black and minority ethnic police officers in the CID, CID-Specialist Crime Unit, and Firearms/Explosives functions1 (FTE)2 in England and Wales as at 31 March 2010, by force3 
			  CID4 CID-Specialist Crime Unit5 Firearms/Explosives6, 7 
			 Avon 8 Somerset 4 0 0 
			 Bedfordshire 6 3 0 
			 Cambridgeshire 7 0 0 
			 Cheshire 5 0 0 
			 Cleveland 2 0 0 
			 Cumbria 2 0 0 
			 Derbyshire 12 1 0 
			 Devon & Cornwall 5 0 0 
			 Dorset 0 1 0 
			 Durham 3 0 0 
			 Dyfed-Powys 0 0 0 
			 Essex 5 0 0 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 0 
			 Greater Manchester 29 15 0 
			 Gwent 1 0 0 
			 Hampshire 5 2 0 
			 Hertfordshire 10 2 0 
			 Humberside 6 0 0 
			 Kent 19 1 0 
			 Lancashire 13 3 0 
			 Leicestershire 11 6 0 
			 Lincolnshire 1 0 0 
			 London, City of 3 0 0 
			 Merseyside 9 4 0 
			 Metropolitan Police 370 27 2 
			 Norfolk 1 0 0 
			 Northamptonshire 11 0 0 
			 Northumbria 5 2 0 
			 North Wales 0 0 0 
			 North Yorkshire 3 0 0 
			 Nottinghamshire 16 0 0 
			 South Wales 3 0 0 
			 South Yorkshire 13 0 0 
			 Staffordshire 1 2 0 
			 Suffolk 4 0 0 
			 Surrey 18 5 0 
			 Sussex 8 1 0 
			 Thames Valley 17 0 0 
			 Warwickshire 8 0 0 
			 West Mercia 3 2 0 
			 West Midlands 79 0 0 
			 West Yorkshire 18 14 0 
			 Wiltshire 1 0 0 
			 Sum: 736 91 2 
		
	
	1 Staff with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function. The deployment of police officers is an operational matter for individual chief constables.
	2 This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number.
	3 Data are correct as at 5 October 2010.
	4 CID-staff mainly employed in plain clothes or supporting those employed in plain clothes for the investigation of crime. Staff who predominantly investigate crime or support the investigation of crime and who are not shown under other specific squad headings. Does not include members of a squad set up on an ad-hoc basis to deal with a temporary or local problem. These should be included under their normal category. Includes officers formerly recorded as CID/Aides/Trainee Investigators, ie includes officers temporarily seconded to CID but not those on short attachments for familiarisation or assessment purposes. Includes staff who are predominantly employed on administrative, clerical or other support duties on behalf of general CID, asset confiscation, burglary, drugs, fraud, stolen vehicles, vice or other permanent CID squads. Including those officers/staff in supporting roles.
	5 CID-Specialist Crime Unit-includes any specialist squads or units, analysts or administrative assistants employed not specifically mentioned elsewhere eg robbery, major crime units.
	6 Firearms/explosives-staff who are predominantly employed in the processing of applications and in making enquiries for firearm and shotgun certificates, renewals, rejections, appeals and firearms surrendered to police custody, or in connection with the licensing and security of explosives stores.
	7 There is another function: Firearms-tactical-staff who are predominantly employed in the use of firearms either as tactical advisors, trainers or in the provision of firearms support to operational incidents. Officers employed in armed response vehicles should only be included if they are mainly employed within the force firearms unit as described above: officers employed in armed response vehicles but not employed within the force firearms unit should be shown within their regular deployment category. The data isn't provided as it is a restricted function. Under the Freedom of Information Act 2005, Home Office have to provide members of the public with these data when requested.

Police: Retirement

Lord Condon: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many police forces have implemented regulation A19 to require the retirement of police officers with 30 or more years of police service; and how many officers have been required to retire in this way in the past 12 months or have been served notice to retire.

Baroness Browning: The requested information is not collected centrally.

Railways: Chiltern Railways

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money has been spent by the Department for Transport in civil servants' time, legal advice and other costs in drawing up and circulating the Notice of Intention to Impose a Penalty on the Chiltern Railway Company Limited published on 7 April.

Earl Attlee: The work involved in drawing up and circulating this notice has been carried out by civil servants within the department, including legal advisers, as part of their normal duties. As staff time is not normally recorded against individual tasks, this information is not available in the form requested.

Republic of Ireland: Voting Rights

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government (a) since when, (b) by what mechanism, and (c) why, Irish citizens living in the United Kingdom have been allowed full voting rights.

Lord McNally: The Representation of the People Act 1918 provided that only British subjects could register as electors. In 1918 the whole of Ireland was a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The term "British subject" then included any person who owed allegiance to the Crown, regardless of the Crown territory in which he or she was born. In general terms, this included citizens who became Commonwealth citizens.
	Following the Government of Ireland Act 1920 and the consequent partition of the island of Ireland, the then Irish Free State remained part of the Commonwealth and so Irish citizens, like the citizens of other Commonwealth countries, were able to vote when resident in the United Kingdom.
	Following the declaration of a Republic of Ireland, the Ireland Act 1949 recognised that the state had "ceased to be part ... of His Majesty's dominions" and so was no longer part of the Commonwealth. However, the Act also stipulates that the Republic of Ireland is "not a foreign country for the purposes of any law" in the United Kingdom and its territories.
	The Ireland Act 1949 therefore has the effect that citizens of the Republic of Ireland are not to be treated as "aliens", and preserved their voting rights.
	The entitlement of Irish citizens to vote is currently set out in the Representation of People Act 1983. Section 4(l)(c) and (3)(c) of the Act provide that citizens of the Republic of Ireland are entitled to register as parliamentary and local government electors provided that they fulfil the age and residence requirements and are not subject to any other legal incapacity.
	This position reflects the historical ties which exist between Ireland and the United Kingdom. Since 1985 British citizens resident in the Republic of Ireland have been entitled to vote in elections to the Dàil.

Rights of Way

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken and plan to take to deal with the abuse of rights of way by motorised vehicles, particularly in the Peak District of Derbyshire.

Baroness Browning: This is an operational matter for the police.

Roads: Brown Signs

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the criteria for the use of brown signs on United Kingdom roads.

Earl Attlee: Following the publication of the Government's Tourism Policy in March 2011, a cross-departmental working group will consider the approach to brown signing on the strategic network that best reflects the needs of drivers and helps the tourism industry at the same time. The working group met for the first time on 16 May 2011.

Roads: M1 Fire

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking in the light of the M1 fire.

Earl Attlee: Following the fire in a scrap yard underneath the M1 southern section on 15 April, the Secretary of State for Transport has tasked the Highways Agency and Network Rail with preparing a report on potential sources of risk to strategic transport networks from activities below roads and railways, or on adjacent sites. As well as identifying sources and categories of risk, the report will detail the options currently available for managing those risks, identify any gaps and make recommendations. The review team is due to report to the Secretary of State at the end of May and the results will be used to inform decisions on what future actions may be necessary.

Schools: Private Schools

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many private fee-paying schools which cater for children aged 5 to 19 were registered with the Department for Education in each of the years 1997 to 2011.

Lord Hill of Oareford: The available information on the number of registered independent schools in England for 1997-2010 is shown in the table. Data for 2011 are not yet available.
	
		
			 Number of independent (1) schools as at January each year: 1997 to 2010 England 
			 Year Number of independent schools 
			 1997 2,248 
			 1998 2,221 
			 1999 2,209 
			 2000 2,185 
			 2001 2,185 
			 2002 2,184 
			 2003 2,154 
			 2004 2,295 
			 2005 2,240 
			 2006 2,247 
			 2007 2,253 
			 2008 2,288 
			 2009 2,306 
			 2010 2,327 
		
	
	Source: School Census
	(1) Includes independent schools with one or more pupils aged 5-19. Excludes schools that were registered at the time of the census but had no pupils at that time.

Sudan

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are giving both directly and through the European Union to the improvement of the business environment in South Sudan and to the creation of a legal framework for new businesses to develop and to encourage outside investors.

Lord Howell of Guildford: UK funding has contributed to the development of legal and regulatory frameworks for private sector development, better access to financial services for small businesses, grants to women's groups that support small-scale businesses and farming, and an improved road network. Most UK funding is channelled through the South Sudan Multi-Donor Trust Fund, managed by the World Bank. The EU provides no support to this area.

Syria

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice to British nationals in Syria, who have no pressing need to remain, to leave that country, what steps are being taken to ensure the safety of British officials and nationals remaining in the country.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The safety of British nationals remains our paramount concern. That is why the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), decided to amend our travel advice for Syria to advise British nationals who have no pressing need to remain in the country to leave now by commercial means. This advice is reviewed on a daily basis.
	Our embassy in Damascus, and the consular wardens around the country are in regular contact with the British community to provide updates and consular advice where needed. Our ambassador and consular team have also travelled throughout Syria to meet and advise British residents. Foreign and Commonwealth Office consular and political teams remain in daily contact with our ambassador and embassy staff and we continue to review and update our contingency plans.

Warm Front Scheme

Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many homes which had been assessed as being eligible for Warm Front grants have had that assessment changed.

Lord Marland: All households assessed as being eligible remain so.

Warm Front Scheme

Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following their press release of 14 April on the Warm Front scheme which announced improvements to the scheme, what is their interpretation of improvements.

Lord Marland: The changes made to the eligibility for the Warm Front scheme aim to improve the cost-effectiveness of the scheme by ensuring that it is better targeted to help low-income, fuel-poor households to receive free or subsidised heating and insulation measures. The scheme now determines applications using eligibility criteria based on a combination of income-related benefits that mirror those used to determine the cold weather payment, alongside a thermal efficiency test.

Warm Front Scheme

Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many homes benefited from the Warm Front scheme in 2010-11.

Lord Marland: The Warm Front scheme assisted 127,930 households in 2010-11.

Warm Front Scheme

Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how many homes will benefit from the Warm Front scheme in (a) 2011-12, and (b) 2012-13.

Lord Marland: Warm Front is expected to provide assistance to approximately 47,000 households in 2011-12 and 45,000 in 2012-13.